A shortlist of three films was announced today, as the Danish Oscar committee convened for the first part of their submission process.
The three films are ‘Echo of You’ by Zara Zerny, ‘Sons' by Gustav Möller and ‘The Girl with the Needle’ by Magnus Von Horn. All three films are produced with support from the Danish Film Institute.
Which of the three films will become Denmark's candidate in the International Feature Film category for the 97th Oscars will be decided on September 19th.
Jacob Neiiendam, Head of International at the Danish Filminstitute who chairs the committee, says:
“This year’s three candidates all have the international potential it takes to compete for an Oscar-nomination. ‘Echo of you’ has screened at the world’s most important documentary festivals through the past year. ‘Sons’ was in the main competition at the Berlinale, while ‘The Girl with the Needle’ was selected for official competition in Cannes. Three very different titles which show the diversity of Danish films anno 2024.”
About the films
Echo of You
When 86-year-old Rene buys flowers, he always thinks about what color his wife would have chosen if she were alive. Like most people in this film, he spent more time with this partner than without. Through intimate conversations with a group of Danish men and women over the age of 80, all of whom have lost their life partner, the film explores how the bereaved deal with this great heartbreak.
'Echo of You' was present at both IDFA and Toronto Hot Docs Film festival and is Zara Zernys first feature length film. The film is produced by Maria Møller Kjeldgaard for Manna Film with support from the Danish Film Institute.
'Echo of you'. Photocredit: Zara Zerny.
Sons
Eva, an idealistic prison officer, is faced with the dilemma of her life when a young man from her past gets transferred to the prison where she works. Without revealing her secret, Eva asks to be moved to the young man’s ward – the toughest and most violent in the prison. Here begins an unsettling psychological thriller, where Eva’s sense of justice puts both her morality and future at stake.
'Sons' is director Gustav Möller's follow-up to his award-winning and critically acclaimed debut feature film 'The Guilty' from 2018, which won the Audience Award for International Feature Film at the Sundance Film Festival, where it had its world premiere. 'Sons' is written by Gustav Möller and Emil Nygaard Albertsen celebrated its world premiere in the International Competition strand of this year’s Berlinale.
The film is produced by Lina Flint for Nordisk Film with funding from the Danish Film Institute and distributed by Nordisk Film Distribution.
'Sons'. Photocredit: Nikolaj Møller.
The Girl With the Needle
Karoline, a young factory worker, is struggling to survive in post WW1 Copenhagen. When she finds herself unemployed, abandoned and pregnant, she meets Dagmar, a charismatic woman running an underground adoption agency, helping mothers to find foster homes for their unwanted children. With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse. A strong connection is formed between the two women, but Karoline’s world shatters when she stumbles upon the shocking truth behind her work.
'The Girl with the Needle' is director Magnus von Horn's first Danish-language feature film. Von Horn's Swedish-produced feature debut 'The Here After' premiered at Cannes in 2015, while his second feature film, the Polish-produced 'Sweat', was part of the official programme in Cannes in 2020. ‘The Girl with the Needle’ had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film festival. Magnus von Horn and Line Langebek co-wrote the screenplay and Malene Blenkov and Mariusz Włodarski produced the film for Nordisk Film Creative Alliance with support from The Danish Film Institute, The Swedish Film Institute, The Polish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fond and Eurimages, among others.
The Match Factory holds world sales rights and is distributed by Nordisk Film Distribution.
'The Girl with the Needle'. Photocredit: Lukasz Bak
Danish Oscar Committee
The Danish Oscar Committee consists of Danish film professional representatives appointed from various film associations and guilds as requested by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Science (AMPAS).
- Anne Østerud // Danish Film Editing Society
- Louise Mieritz // Danish Actors Association
- Søren Søndergaard // Danish Cinema Owners
- Frederik Villads // Danish Screenwriters
- Jacob Ludvigsen // Danish Film Critics Society
- Sebastian Cordes // Danish Directors Association
- Jacob Neiiendam // The Danish Filminstitute
- Lena Juhl Seidelin // The Danish Filminstitute
- Lone Korslund // Danish Producers Association
Oscars rules and dates
Each country may submit one film for nomination in the International Feature Film category.
To be eligible in the International Feature Film category a film's domestic release date must be no earlier than November 1 2023 and no later than September 30 2024 and be publicly exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater.
In order for films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements, the Academy will allow films to qualify outside the country of origin, provided the film is theatrically exhibited outside of the United States and its territories for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue track.
Full details on rules and eligibility can be found here
The Danish Oscar committee will meet again on September 19, where the final candidate will be determined.
The submission deadline is October 2. The Academy will announce all shortlists on December 17, including the 15 films that have a chance to become one of the five nominees in the International Feature Film category. The 97th Oscars take place on March 2 2024 in Los Angeles.
Danish films and the Oscars through the years
Four Danish films have won an Oscar in the International Feature Film category: Thomas Vinterberg's 'Another Round' in 2021, Susanne Bier's 'In a Better World' in 2011, Bille August's 'Pelle the Conqueror' in 1989, and Gabriel Axel's 'Babette's Feast' in 1988.
Below is an overview of Danish Oscar entries in the International Feature Film category over the last six years sorted by awards ceremony year:
2024 The Promised Land / Nikolaj Arcel – Oscar shortlist
2023 Holy Spider / Ali Abbasi – Oscar shortlist
2022 Flee / Jonas Poher Rasmussen / Oscar nomination
2021 Another Round / Thomas Vinterberg / Oscar winner
2020 Queen of Hearts / May el-Toukhy
2019 The Guilty / Gustav Möller / Oscar shortlist